


Azula Week 2020

by Charlitflair



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Azula Week, Azula Week 2020, Azula is a precious baby, Babies, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Love, Night, Smiles, Success, Training
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25112179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charlitflair/pseuds/Charlitflair
Summary: My works for Azula Week 2020!! Celebrating the amazing character that is Azula! Some will be one shots and some will be continuations of last years works!
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. Love

**Azula Week 2020 Day 1: Love**

Azula loved very few things.

Her father.

Her country.

Herself.

That was all that came to mind when the wretched doctor asked her about love. Still, the doctor was met with a blank stare as she took in his question.

She thought her father loved her but he left her to rot.

She thought fear was the way to gain her country’s love and she was wrong. They despised her.

She thought that keeping her feelings inside, that being strong, expelling her weaknesses would be all the love she needed to keep herself sane and still her mind broke from under her.

Because none of those were the loves that mattered.

The love of her mother that seemed to fear her.

The love of friends who actually cared for her.

The loves that always seemed so unattainable no matter what she did. No matter what she tried. That was just added on to her list of failures. She could hear her father’s voice now. The disappointment, the anger that’s echoed through his tone as he called her weak, useless, as he pointed out everything that was wrong with her.

Her stare went blank as the doctor tried to get any response from her but was shockingly met by tears soon after. Tears that pooled on the princess’ eyes and left hot streaks down her cheeks. Her still composure came crashing down as sobs left her mouth and wracked her body. Fifteen years worth of emotions and pain came pouring out of her with the thought of one question.

Her arms fought against her restraints as her cries grew louder and she couldn’t control herself. She could hear her heartbeat in her ear and feel it as it grew faster. Azula shook her head as her voice grew louder in her head. Ursa always knew how to show up at the worst times.

“I did love you Azula. I always have.” The words echoed through her head, she could see the woman, the liar standing behind the brainless doctor. It was like they did this to her for fun. Like they enjoyed antagonizing her.

Her sobs grew louder as her tears fell faster. The clear view of Ursa growing fuzzier as it blurred behind the tears in her eyes. Her chi was bubbling under the surface of her skin, right at her fingertips and sitting on the tip of her tongue but could not release. It was as if she had blisters forming under her skin. Everything in her hurt, her face was scalding and nothing made sense. She couldn’t feel anything but that void, that loss, that failure that had hung over her from the start.

The fact that no matter what she did she failed at getting anyone to love her.

Even her own mother.


	2. Day 3: Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of my Azula Week day 4 post from last year so go check that out! This is a modern High School AU! Even if you don’t read the first part, this still makes some sense to read alone!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I know I missed day two but I couldn’t come up with something good and work was busy so :/ but hopefully I can get that up by the end of the week and put it in order. Thanks so much for reading and leave a comment below!

I could get used to this, Azula thought.

Sure, Toph was different. She was loud and aggressive, strong and fierce while messy and unreformed. She was the exact opposite of Azula and the friends Azula had. It took a lot to get used to Toph’s vulgar language and messy eating. And it hurt her to say but Toph loud mouth comments and crude jokes were better than eating lunch alone. And definitely better than enduring Chan’s spitballs. 

“Did you even hear what I was saying,” Azula looked up at her friend with a glare. 

“Of course I did!” Azula exclaims, feigning Shock at Toph’s accusation. 

“Then what did I say?” Toph asks and Azula stares back at her. Silence engulfed the table for a few seconds before Toph’s cackles broke it. “Exactly! I knew you were listening. I may be blind but I can pick up a lot more than you think.” Toph teases and Azula scoffs. 

“Fine I wasn’t listening to you,” Azula admits with false irritation, “What were you talking about?” She finally asked after the girl finally stopped laughing. 

“Oh no, that can wait Princess. I wanna hear about what has you so distracted,” Toph says and Azula freezes for a moment. She had never been more glad that Toph couldn’t see her because her cheeks instantly flushed. There was no way she was going to tell the girl that she was happy they were friends. It as stupid, she shouldn’t have even been thinking about it. It had only been two month since Toph sat at her table that day. 

Since then, Toph was basically the only person Azula spoke to. Willingly of course. They somehow managed to have all of their afternoon classes together, something that shocked Azula as well because the girl didn’t seem to have much of an interest for school or her grades. Still, the pair grew closer as the weeks went on. Being tripped in the hallway by Chan or having another verbal spat with Katara was much easier to deal with when you had someone by your side. Toph took no hesitation when it came to defending her new found friend. Pushing Chan when he tried to insult her or calling Katara sugar queen just to piss her off. All things that Azula could never let her know how much she actually appreciated them. It was enough of a change that Azula we actually thanking the girl, out loud and in public even. 

She could already hear her father’s scolding. 

Not that it mattered, he would never know. He wasn’t here. Azula huffed before frowning at the thought. Her father had always told her that friends were supposed to be useful. That there should always be something to gain from her partnerships. She believed him, Mai’s parents were partners with her dad, Ty Lee was as charming as she was naive and obedient. They always served a purpose. But that didn’t matter if they didn’t want to be her friends. And she can’t help to think that her father’s arrest was just an easier way for them to stop hanging out with her. She thought that she would be better off without them but she couldn’t help but to miss them. 

After countless therapy sessions and months alone, she thought a lot about how things would be different. If she were nicer, if she hadn’t used them the way she did, that she wouldn’t have lost their friendship. That they were more than the purpose they served. It shouldn’t have taken her so long to reload that Mai was often grounded and Ty Lee was always supportive, even when Azula didn’t deserve it. And her father would be calling her stupid for even thinking that way. That they should be sorry for leaving her. But she couldn’t help but feel that he was wrong. 

“It’s nothing.” Azula finally spoke up as her train of thought calmed down. 

“Nope, we may be new friends but I can tell something is up. You don’t get distracted that easily,” Toph smirks at her and Azula scoffed, desperately trying to play it off. 

“Toph I’m fine, just thinking is all,” Azula says with finality and Toph smacks her lips.

“Whatever you say, Princess,” 

They went about the rest of the day as usual, working together on their science project and being the first group to finish the assignment in math as always. It brought joy to see Katara’s face beet red with anger as she was second to Azula once again. Typically they would go to Toph’s home after school, Azula lounging by the pool while listening to Toph about whatever new UFC game she started. Azula’s thoughts took over again when it came to her that she would have never cared about what Mai and Ty Lee, at least not this much. She would have shrugged it off and put in some earbuds while she tanned if it meant ignoring Ty Lee’s stories about whatever cute animal she saw that day. 

“You’re doing it again,” Toph spoke up and Azula frowned. 

“Sorry,” was the only response that Azula could come up with that time. 

“Did something happen? You’ve been like this all day and it’s weird,” Azula shook her head. 

Sure that’s one way to describe it, she thought.

“No, I've just been thinking a lot today. It’s nothing, really,” she tells her and Toph’s stare doesn’t waver. Even without her sight, it was like the girl could still see into her soul. 

“Thanks for being my friend...I know I can be a lot sometimes,” Azula finally blurts out and Toph smiles grins.

“That’s it!! That’s what had you so tense earlier!” Toph exclaims and Azula could feel the heat from earlier rising back in her cheeks. “Don’t mention it Princess, we all can be a lot sometimes,” Toph replies before running off to jump in the pool. The girl had no clue how hard it had been for Azula to think that let alone say and she definitely had no clue how much that meant to her. Azula watched as her friend swam around the pool, splashing aimlessly, hoping to catch her in the crossfire. A small smile appeared on her face as she watched. 

Azula was finally realizing that whatever her father had taught her about friendship was wrong. That friends were more than simply what they could do for her but what they could do for each other. She might have messed that up before with Mai and Ty Lee but she refused to mess it up now with Toph.


	3. Day 4: Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Azula likes to lurk around the palace tunnels at night and two times where she runs into someone unexpected.

Night 

Once the sun set, Azula knew she had free reign over the palace. It was almost like a puzzle she had to figure out. The countless secret passages that led to hidden tunnels and doors. She knew that her mother would throw a fit if she caught her lurking around the hallways during the night. It was unladylike and not something a princess did. Like she would know. 

The girl had already found the tunnel that led to her father and her mother’s chambers. Not that she needed to go back there. All they did was boring adult stuff. She had since found the tunnels that took her to the library and the kitchen. She typically avoided the servants quarters, she didn’t want to risk anyone letting her mother know. The tunnel that led to Zuko’s room was often her favorite place to torment him. Making spooky sounds and moving things around while he was asleep was her way to get screams from the seven year old and she always stayed behind the current to watch her terror unfold. 

The one place she couldn’t find a tunnel to is Azulon’s war room. She had been all over and still hasn’t figured out which tunnels connect to lead her there. She wanted to sneak and listen to war meetings, she wanted to know what was happening so she could be prepared. She didn’t want to let anyone down when it was finally her time to lead. She wouldn’t be like Zuzu who couldn’t keep up and needed to be babied. 

The princess continued her joinery through the tunnels until she reached a door that she hadn’t seen before. She instantly became giddy at the thought of finally finding the tunnel that led to the war room. She pushed the secret button that was on all of the doors to the tunnels below the palace and hoped that her search was over. Instead of seeing the large table with a throne at the head, she saw one of the main doors that led to the palace entrance. She frowned and walked out into the normal hallways and was even more shocked to see Ursa right in front of her. 

“Azula! What are you doing?” Her mother asked in a tone that told Azul she was in big trouble. 

“I was just looking for father and I got lost,” Azula tried her best to sound sad and lost but her mother wasn’t buying it. 

“You know where his room is Azula. What were you doing?” Ursa grabbed Azula’s arm and quickly began walking towards Azula’s room. 

“Why does it matter, it’s not like you care,” the princess muttered and her mother stopped, looking down at her. 

“Of course I care. I don’t want you getting lost or hurt. This palace is big and there’s more here than you could ever know,” Ursa told Azula who just scoffed and rolled her eyes. 

“What? Like the tunnels?” Azula sneered and Ursa shook her head. 

“Yes and other things that aren’t meant for you, you’re a child. You shouldn’t be worried about these things,” Ursa tells her as they near Azula’s room. 

“I have to be ready. One day the throne will be mine,” Azula says with pride swelling through her voice. She knew what her destiny was and she wanted to be ready to fulfill it. Her father told her that she would be his heir and she knew that she would be, she’d do whatever it took. 

Ursa looked at her daughter with curious eyes. She was always a strange one, nothing like her and Zuko and everything like Ozai. She should be playing with dolls and racing with her brother, not concerned with war and being a leader of a country. She was only five, not even in the royal academy yet and you would think that Azula was well into adulthood. She didn’t think she’d ever be able to understand her daughter. 

“Well even fire lords take breaks. It’s okay to go outside and have fun for a while. Or go to sleep at a decent time,” Ursa explains to her daughter who rolled her eyes again. 

“Zuzu might believe that but I’m not him. I’m not stupid,” if it wasn’t for her fierce glare, one might have thought that Azula was pouting. 

“Your brother isn’t stupid and neither are you. You’re anything but stupid Azula,” the pairing had finally made their way to the door of Azula’s room. Ursa pushed it open and followed Azula in. Ursa quickly went to the wardrobe and pulled out the girls night clothes. Azula took them from her mother and quickly changed. The faster she changed and got to sleep, the faster her mother would leave her alone. All she did was tell her what she was doing wrong. Once her clothes were changed and she was in bed, she hoped her mother would go and leave her be for the night. The thought crossed her mind to leave later in the night and finish her journey but her mom would already be onto her. There’s no way her mother won’t be waiting for that to happen and she won’t give her the satisfaction of being right. 

Azula got into bed and closed her eyes hoping her mother would leave her be. Instead, she felt the end of her bed dip and a sigh filled the room. 

“You know I love you Azula,” Ursa was met with silence and another sigh left her mouth. “I only want what’s best for you. Always,” Ursa emphasizes as she looks directly at her daughter. Azula’s piercing eyes gazed back at her mother, the same frown gracing her face as it always does. Her brows clenched together as she stared back at her mother, trying to find a lie in her words and it made her uncomfortable that she couldn’t find one. 

“Goodnight mother,” was all Azula said before turning over and burying herself under her thick covers, anything to get rid of her mother’s words and stare. It took a few moments for Ursa to leave the room and once her door shut, tears fell from Azula’s eyes. 

It only took Azula a week to find Azulon’s war room after that. 

Another week had passed and Lu Ten was dead. 

A few days later and her mother was gone in the night without even saying goodbye. 

So much for always loving her. 

That night stayed in the back of her head as she roamed through the palace at night. It was the only thing that kept her calm after a nightmare. She rarely left her room since returning from the Asylum, especially now that her mother had returned. She knew better than to be tempted by the false pleasantries and hope for a reconciliation that would never happen. 

She went walking through the tunnels, her robe tightly wrapped around her thin frame. Somehow she felt cold when in the tunnels now, something had changed and it didn’t hold the same novelty it did when she was a child. Still it was familiar enough to ground her, keep her sane. 

She was turning a corner to head back to her room, feeling comfortable enough to go back to sleep when she saw someone on the other side. 

Ursa. 

The woman was standing there, just as shocked as she was to see her. Ursa nervously wrung her hands together as she stepped to approach her eldest daughter. 

“Having trouble sleeping?” She finally asked and wasn’t surprised to see that her glare hadn’t changed since she was a child. 

“Not like you care,” Azula responded, her voice filled with ice and Ursa flinched. The response was expected but still caught her off guard nonetheless.

“Of course I care,” Ursa quickly replied. The woman looked at her daughter and frowned. It was clear that Azula was not okay. Maybe better than she had previously been but still far from fine. Deep dark circles painted her under eyes and her fair skin had a sickly, almost grey color to it. “You know, this has happened before,” Ursa starts and Azula’s eyes widen. She hadn’t expected her mother to remember. Had it been Zuko, her mother probably would have cherished the memory until she died. She expected it to be gone from her mother’s thoughts as soon as she left her room. 

“You remember that,” Ursa has never heard Azula’s voice so soft. Gentle almost. 

“Of course I do. You were always adventurous, from the moment you could walk. I could barely keep up with you. Always one step ahead,” Ursa smiles softly at her daughter. 

Azula stares at her mother, shock freezing her thoughts. The woman has never talked about her like that. She had never looked at her like that. Almost every memory Azula had of her mother had a frown or sad look attached to it. Never a smile. 

“You said you loved me that night. I thought you were lying,” Azula’s voice trembled as the words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them. 

“I would never lie to you Azula. I meant it, I always have and I always will. I love you,” Ursa took steps forward, placing her hands on her daughter’s face. She used her thumb to wipe away the single tear that ran down Azula’s cheek and suddenly she had a tight pair of arms wrapped around her frame. Azula’s sobs shook both of their bodies as the girl cried in the embrace of her mother for the first time. “I realize now that I didn’t know how to love you the way you needed me too. But I want to do better now,” Ursa murmurs and the princess’ cries grow louder at the realization that her mother did in fact love her. 

That she always had.


End file.
